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Pre-Devonian Crustal Basement Colombian Andes, Ordoñes Et Al 2006
Pre-Devonian Crustal Basement Colombian Andes, Ordoñes Et Al 2006
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a
Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Minas, A.A. 1027 Medellı́n-Colombia, Colombia
b
Instituto de Geociências, Universidade de Brası́lia, CEP: 70910-900 Brasilia, D.F., Brazil
Abstract
Under the flatlands east of the Andes, the crustal basement is exposed in a few places, composed mainly of the Mitú migmatitic com-
plex and the Parguaza granite, whose ages range between 1.78 and 1.45 Ga. Extensive outcrops of high-grade metamorphic rocks are
found in several places. Two metamorphisms are dated between 1.2–1.1 and 1.0–0.9 Ga. They are considered blocks that formed during
the Grenville orogeny and have Sm–Nd TDM model ages of 1.87–1.47. The Andaquı́ terrane is formed mainly by the Garzón Massif,
composed of granulites, migmatites, and granites, and the metamorphic rocks of the Sierra de la Macarena, which are covered by unde-
formed Cambrian sediments. It is believed that after the Grenville orogeny, this unit remained attached to the Amazonic Craton. All the
other areas grouped in the Chibcha terrane, though they formed during the Grenville orogeny, are believed to have remained either as
part of another continental block or dispersed islands to be amalgamated to the Amazonic Craton during the Lower Paleozoic orogeny,
which in the Quetame Massif is dated between the Silurian and Devonian and is named the Quetame orogenic event.
2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
0895-9811/$ - see front matter 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.jsames.2006.07.005
O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382 373
Fig. 1. Suspect terrains of Colombia (modified from Toussaint and Restrepo, 1994, 1996).
149
approximately 1000, 380(?), and 270 Ma, followed by the Sm–150Nd spike. Sr and Nd isotopic ratios were correct-
subsequent opening of oceanic basins. During the Mesozo- ed for mass fractionation to 86Sr/88Sr = 0.1194 and
146
ic and Cenozoic, the regime changed to a North Andean Nd/144Nd = 0.7219. Two sigma uncertainties for the
87
type of orogen, characterized by the accretion of oceanic Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd ratios are smaller than 0.01%
terranes. The collision of the Panamá-Baudo block during and 0.005%, respectively.
the late Cenozoic produced the final uplift of the Colombi- Decay constants used are those recommended by Steiger
an Andes. and Jäger (1977), and ages are reported at the 95% confi-
In this work, a review of the geochronological and iso- dence interval. Analysis of the NBS-987 Sr standard gives
topic data of the pre-Devonian basement of the Colombian values between 0.71024 and 0.71029, and the La Jolla Nd
Andes is developed and complemented by recent data. A standard yields values between 0.511828 and 0.511842 dur-
model of the geodynamic evolution of the area between ing the period when the analyses were performed. Isochron
the Mesoproterozoic and the Silurian is presented. ages were calculated using Ex-Isoplot program 2.05 version
(Ludwig, 1999).
2. Isotopic data and analytical methods
3. Precambrian basement
Sr, Sm, and Nd isotopic analyses were performed at the
Geochronology Laboratory of the University of Brasilia, The Precambrian rocks in Colombia are exposed in
using standard ion-exchange chromatography for the sepa- two main regions (Figs. 1 and 2): (1) as the sialic base-
ration of Sr, Sm, and Nd with a multicollector Finnigan ment of the Chibcha terrain in the Andes and (2) in
MAT-262 mass spectrometer. Sm and Nd concentrations the eastern flatlands, comprising part of the Amazonian
were obtained by isotope dilution using a mixed Craton.
374 O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382
Fig. 2. Simplified geological map of the Colombian Andes (after Toussaint, 1993).
3.1. Eastern flatlands mas. Descriptions of these poorly studied rocks appear in
Galvis et al. (1979) and Bruneton et al. (1983).
The western/northwestern part of the Amazonic Craton Gneisses and granites yield Rb–Sr isochron ages ranging
forms the basement of the flatlands (Llanos) east of the between 1780 and 1450 Ma (Priem et al., 1982), interpreted
Colombian Andes. Most of it is covered by Tertiary sedi- as reflecting the formation of a metamorphic basement at
mentary rocks, though to the east, close to the borders with approximately 1780 Ma superimposed by a magmatic
Venezuela and Brazil, some outcrops of Precambrian rocks event at approximately 1450 Ma. One U–Pb zircon date
appear. In the border region between Colombia, Venezue- indicates an age of 1480 Ma (Priem et al., 1982), and vari-
la, and Brazil, these metamorphic rocks are included in the ous ages between 1447 and 1215 Ma were obtained by K–
Mitú migmatitic complex (Fig. 1), which comprises mainly Ar and Rb–Sr methods in mineral separates (hornblende,
biotite gneisses and migmatites of sedimentary origin with biotite, and muscovite).
low-pressure mineral assemblages that normally include The Parguaza granite, a body with a rapakivi texture
andalusite and cordierite. The sequence is closely associat- that seems to intrude the Mitú Complex, has a U–Pb zircon
ed with granitoids that likely correspond to anatectic mag- age of 1545 ± 20 Ma and a Rb–Sr whole-rock isochron age
O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382 375
of 1499 ± 39 Ma (Gaudett et al., 1978). These rocks are show any relation to the main regional metamorphic
part of the Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Rio Negro-Juruena event(s). Also, in Ecuador, these granites, known as Aza-
province that evolved in a magmatic-arc environment frán, have no relation with any known orogenic metamor-
between 1.8 and 1.55 Ga (Tassinari, 1984; Teixeira et al., phic event (Noble et al., 1997). Only in the Santander
1989; Tassinari et al., 1996). Massif did the Mesozoic intrusives cause thermal metamor-
phism of the Paleozoic metamorphic and sedimentary
3.2. Garzón Massif rocks (Restrepo-Pace, 1995).
According to Kroonenberg (1982a), the rocks from the
Extensive outcrops of high-grade metamorphic rocks Garzón Massif, as well as those of the Sierra Nevada de
are exposed in the Garzón Massif. Although this zone is Santa Marta, are part of a granulitic belt that probably
geographically part of the Eastern Cordillera, it is dis- formed during the collision between Amazonia and Laur-
cussed in this section because it includes metamorphic rock entia. The alternative model of Toussaint (1993) proposes
units east of the Andes (Figs. 1 and 2). that the Garzón Massif, together with the Sierra de La
Two main units are recognized, one formed by the Gua- Macarena, constitute the Andaquı́ terrane, allochtonous
potón and Mancagua granitic augen gneisses in the west with respect to the basement of the Amazonian Craton
and the other, the Garzón Group, consisting of granulite and accreted as an isolated block to South America during
facies rocks, including charnockites, enderbites, migma- the Grenvillian orogeny. Restrepo-Pace (1995) believes that
tites, mafic granulites, pyroxene amphibolites, and ultra- the granulitic belt formed during a continent–continent
mafic rocks (Álvarez, 1981; Kroonenberg, 1982a; collision, with the rocks in the Garzón Massif being derived
Rodrı́guez, 1995). The anatectic granite of El Recreo also from the Guyana Shield. A very different model, implying
is part of this massif (Rodrı́guez, 1995), and most rock an autochtonous origin for the Andes, was put forward by
units of the Garzón Massif are cut by pegmatites with large Priem et al. (1989), who state that ‘‘not much, if any, con-
magnetite and biotite crystals. tinental accretion occurred in the Andes between 1.6 Ga
The most detailed geochronological work in the area is and the Cretaceous’’.
that by Cordani et al. (2005). Many U–Pb SHRIMP ages The ages found for the Garzon Massif are comparable
show an igneous event at 1158 ± 23 Ma, with high-grade to those of the Sunsás orogeny, which took place in the
metamorphism at 1000 ± 25 Ma for the Guapotón-Manca- western region of the Amazonic Craton between 1.25 and
gua orthogneiss. From Las Margaritas gneiss, two garnet 1.0 Ga (Tassinari et al., 2000).
whole-rock Sm–Nd isochrones were obtained with ages
of 1034 ± 6 Ma and 990 ± 8 Ma, which indicate the age 3.3. Andean region
of cooling under 600 C after peak metamorphism. Similar-
ly, a U–Pb zircon age of 1015 ± 7.8 Ma for leucosomes of Consensus among geologists indicates the presence of a
migmatites indicates metamorphism at the end of the Mes- Precambrian basement beneath the Andes in the Eastern
oproterozoic. Other younger ages, ranging from 1000 to Cordillera and the eastern flank of the Central Cordillera.
905 Ma and obtained by several methods, probably reflect However, the extension of this basement to the central
either a second metamorphism or cooling after the main and western parts of the Central Cordillera is still debated.
metamorphic event. According to Kroonenberg (1982b), the Precambrian base-
Other areas that may be part of this block are the Sierra ment underlies the entire Central Cordillera. However,
de la Macarena to the northeast and the granitic gneisses, Restrepo and Toussaint (1988) argue that it only exists—
amphibolites, and migmatites that crop out to the south- or at least crops out—east of the Otú-Pericos fault, which
west, along the Eastern Cordillera from Garzón to the is taken as the boundary between the Chibcha terrane to
Ecuatorian border (Maya, 2001). These units are known the east and the Tahamı́ (or Central Andean) terrane to
as La Cocha-Rı́o Tellez migmatitic complex (Murcia and the west. Currently no reliable dating of Precambrian rocks
Cepeda, 1991) and an unnamed unit in the Sierra de La has been obtained from the Tahamı́ terrane, so the subse-
Macarena. The metamorphic rocks (gneiss and amphibo- quent discussion relates only to the Chibcha terrane.
lites) of the Sierra de la Macarena are covered by unde-
formed Cambrian sediments, which supports a 3.3.1. Santander Massif
Precambrian age for these rocks. It is located in the northern part of the Eastern Cordil-
Recently, Jiménez and Cordani (2003) challenged the lera (Fig. 2), which is formed predominantly by sedimenta-
validity of the correlation of La Cocha-Rı́o Tellez migmat- ry rocks. In this area, metamorphic and plutonic rocks
itic complex with the Garzon Massif on the basis of the U– crop out, with higher-grade metamorphic rocks included
Pb zircon age of 166 ± 3.8 Ma for a granodiorite. They in the Bucaramanga gneiss and lower-grade rocks consti-
suggest that the tectonomagmatic evolution of the complex tuting the Silgará Formation. The first unit is considered
may be related to the emplacement of granitoids within Precambrian, whereas the second probably formed during
paraschists and paragneisses, which formed the migmatites. the Caledonian orogeny.
However, the Jurassic magmatic belt that extends from The Bucaramanga gneiss consists of biotite gneisses (some
Ecuador to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta does not with cordierite and sillimanite), migmatites, quartzites, and
376 O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382
amphibolites. The predominant rock, banded biotite 864 Ma. The older ages are interpreted as representing
gneiss, is considered derived from a pelitic sediment (Ward the sources of the sedimentary protolith, whereas an age
et al., 1973; Restrepo-Pace et al., 1997). In addition, the of 1057 ± 28 Ma is believed to correspond to a Grenville
presence of alternating bands of amphibolites and amphi- metamorphic event. Two zircon grains yield an age of
bole gneisses suggest some contribution of volcanic materi- 864 ± 66 Ma, interpreted as representing a late metamor-
al or sills of basic rocks. phism episode. This latter age is similar to that detected
On the basis of K–Ar (945 ± 40 Ma) and Rb–Sr model in the eastern flank of the Central Cordillera, which sup-
ages, Ward et al. (1973) consider that the Bucaramanga ports the idea that both regions belong to the same terrane.
gneiss metamorphosed during the Proterozoic. 40Ar/39Ar For the present study, two samples of the Bucaramanga
dates by Restrepo-Pace (1995) give apparent ages between gneiss were collected in the same location that Ward et al.
668 ± 9 and 574 ± 8 Ma, though the argon spectrum shows (1973) obtained samples for K–Ar dating, specifically,
older ages on the order of 850–800 Ma. Restrepo-Pace along the highway between the towns of Aguachica and
attributes this divergence to rejuvenation of Grenvillian Ocaña. In that area, gneisses have banded structure, with
metamorphic rocks by later thermal effects. Cordani et al. predominant quartz–feldspar gneiss and minor amphibole
(2005) obtain 40Ar/39Ar ages close to 200 Ma in biotite gneisses and amphibolites. Samples NB-1 and NB-3, select-
from the gneisses, which reflects the loss of argon during ed for Sr and Nd isotopic analyses (Table 1), correspond to
the intrusion of the large batholiths in that area. They also quartz–feldspar–biotite gneiss and hornblende gneiss,
present SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages between 1558 and respectively.
Table 1
Sr and Nd isotopic results for the Precambrian and Early Paleozoic rocks
143
Sample Sm Nd Nd/144Nd 147
Sm/144Nd eNd(T) TDM (Ga) 87
Sr/86Sr 87
Rb/86Sr 87
Sr/86Sri T (Ma)
Bucaramanga Gneiss
NB-1 4.39 16.84 0.512370 ± 25 0.1576 0.50 1.76 0.71398 ± 6 0.5551 0.70648 945
NB-3 4.96 25.53 0.511939 ± 37 0.1175 4.07 1.71 0.70506 ± 5 0.1062 0.70363 945
Los Mangos Granulite
GRM-1 5.18 22.52 0.512290 ± 12 0.1391 0.37 1.51 0.72607 ± 6 971
GRM-2 6.15 39.56 0.511882 ± 15 0.0940 1.99 1.47 0.72302 ± 7 971
GRM-10 WR 9.26 44.48 0.511930 ± 11 0.1259 5.02 1.87 971
GRM-10 Gr 8.47 5.02 0.517620 ± 15 1.0195 971
RG-3a 7.38 40.42 0.511872 ± 08 0.1104 4.23 1.69 971
RG-6a 1.13 9.68 0.511879 ± 08 0.0706 0.87 971
El Vapor Mylonitic Gneisses
B-4 7.48 37.15 0.511931 ± 14 0.1218 5.23 1.79 0.74861 ± 5 2.55 0.71603 894
B-22 7.99 30.79 0.512370 ± 13 0.1560 0.57 1.71 0.77792 ± 5 4.40 0.72171 894
Garzón Group
G-2a 1.37 16.78 0.511770 ± 07 0.0494 5.34 1180
G-11a 1.94 16.68 0.512032 ± 05 0.0703 7.30 1180
G-20a 1.14 3.62 0.512626 ± 07 0.1904 0.72 1180
Guapotón Granite
SnAnkr-1a 14.9 78.97 0.512062 ± 07 0.1143 0.24 1.50 1088
El Hı́gado Amphibolite
HP-3a 9.25 32.95 0.512472 ± 10 0.1697 0.09 911
HP-5a 0.18 1.587 0.512085 ± 06 0.0686 4.15 911
Ocaña Batholith
BOC-1 5.90 27.61 0.512341 ± 32 0.1291 2.23 1.27 0.73750 ± 6 9.6723 413
BOC-2 5.42 25.93 0.512318 ± 16 0.1264 2.54 1.27 0.72874 ± 7 7.4091 413
BOC-3 5.04 24.92 0.512274 ± 12 0.1222 3.17 1.28 0.73118 ± 8 7.8942 413
BOC-4 5.29 26.98 0.512292 ± 16 0.1186 2.63 1.21 0.72917 ± 7 7.4416 413
Sanı́n Villa Diorite
DSV-1 5.98 31.73 0.512190 ± 13 0.1139 4.38 1.30 0.70714 ± 6 0.1907 0.70602 413
2r uncertainties for the isotopic ratio 87Rb/86Sr < 1%, 87Sr/86Sr < 0.01%, 143Nd/144Nd < 0.003%, and 147Sm/144Nd < 0.1. Data for other Precambrian
units of the Colombian Andes are also included (Restrepo-Pace et al., 1997). The right column indicates the most accepted age of the corresponding
geological unit.
Note: WR = whole-rock, Gr = garnet; eNd = [{(143Nd/144Nd)i/(143Nd/144Nd)t-CHUR}1] · 104, using 143Nd/144Nd = 0.512638 as present-day CHUR
value. TDM = k1ln [1 + (143Nd/144Nd)i (143Nd/144Nd)DM/(147Sm/144Nd)i (147Sm/144Nd)DM], using 143Nd/144Nd = 0.513114 as present-day DM
value, and (147Sm/144Nd)DM = 0.222.
a
Restrepo-Pace et al. (1997).
O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382 377
TDM model ages of 1.76 and 1.71 Ga represent average 3.3.3. Guajira Peninsula
model ages of the original sediment source areas. There- The Guajira Peninsula lies to the northeast of the Sierra
fore, the maximum age for the protolith sedimentation Nevada de Santa Marta, separated by the right-lateral Oca
must be approximately 1.71 Ga. fault (Fig. 2). Pb- age of zircons from the Jojoncito gran-
ite (Alvarez, 1967) gave an age of 1250 Ma (Banks, 1975);
3.3.2. Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta so far, it is the only Proterozoic unit identified in the area.
These mountains are not part of the main Andean According to Cardona (2003), this unit is not a granite but
mountain chain; however, their sialic basement presents a paragneiss.
similarities with other high-grade areas of the cordillera SHRIMP U–Pb ages of 17 zircons indicate ages of
(Fig. 2). The eastern part of the Sierra Nevada de Santa 1529 ± 43, 1342 ± 25, and 1236 ± 16 Ma for three nuclei.
Marta contains the most extensive exposures of high-grade Two overgrowths yield ages of 1167 ± 17 and
rocks, called Los Mangos granulites (Fig. 2, N4) and Dib- 1165 ± 37 Ma, and younger overgrowths of other grains
ulla gneiss. The first Precambrian metamorphic age in give an average age of 916 ± 19 Ma (Cordani et al.,
Colombia was obtained by MacDonald and Hurley 2005). The younger ages likely represent metamorphic
(1969) for the Dibulla gneiss, represented by a Rb–Sr iso- events between 1165 and 916 Ma, whereas the older ages
chron of 1400 Ma with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratio of 0.703. indicate the age of Mesoproterozoic sources that, accord-
Los Mangos granulite consists of a banded sequence of ing to Cordani et al. (2005), were located in the Amazonian
mafic and granitic gneisses, amphibolites, anorthosites, Craton.
and ultramafic and calcareous bands, containing mineral
assemblages that indicate granulite facies conditions 3.3.4. Eastern flank of the Central Cordillera
(Gansser, 1955; MacDonald and Hurley, 1969; Tschanz Since the geological mapping project carried out by
et al., 1974; Ordóñez-Carmona et al., 2002). Feininger et al. (1972), the gneisses exposed east of the
Restrepo-Pace et al. (1997) date detrital zircons from a Otú fault have been considered Precambrian retrograded
sample of the Dibulla gneiss, obtaining ages between 1.0 granulites, similar to those in the Sierra Nevada de Santa
and 1.3 Ga, possibly associated with the Grenville event. Marta, though diagnostic minerals of this facies have not
They also report a U–Pb (zircon) upper intercept age of been found. It is worth noting that the fault that marks
1.5 Ga, interpreted as the age of crystallization of part of the western limit of the Precambrian outcrops, according
the protolith of the granulites, and a lower intercept age to the map of Feininger et al. (1972), is the Otú fault, not
of 0.45 Ga interpreted as Pb loss related to an Andean the Palestina fault as shown in some publications (Cediel
orogenic event. The Ar–Ar analyses of biotites from two et al., 2002).
granulites produce complex age spectra with an integrated Geological evidence of the age is available, because
age of 561 ± 6 Ma for one of the samples and a total Ordovician sedimentary rocks (Harrison, 1930; Botero-
fusion age of approximately 845 Ma for the other. A prov- Arango, 1940), metamorphosed at low-grade conditions,
enance pattern of detrital zircon grains (Cordani et al., rest unconformably on the medium-grade gneisses. Also,
2005) documents a Mesoproterozoic (1375 Ma) source, a Rb–Sr isochron of El Vapor mylonitic gneisses (Fig. 2,
as well as an early metamorphic event between 1190 and N1), close to the town of Puerto Berrı́o (latitude 630 0 N),
1140 Ma and a later metamorphic event at approximately indicates an age of 894 ± 36 Ma (Ordóñez-Carmona
990 Ma. et al., 1999) that can be related to ductile deformation of
Samples in the present study were collected at the con- the gneisses and therefore represents a minimum age of
fluence of the Guatapurı́ and Los Mangos rivers, approxi- metamorphism. In addition, the TDM model ages calculat-
mately 20 km northwest of Valledupar (Fig. 2, N4). ed for these rocks are between 1.71 and 1.79 Ga, suggesting
Additional details about the petrographic and field charac- that the protoliths are at least 1.71 Ga old. The extension
teristics of these rocks may be found in Ordóñez-Carmona of these rocks to the north might occur in the poorly
et al. (2002). known Serranı́a de San Lucas, where the basement is
The samples analyzed belong to three of the most abun- thought to be formed by Precambrian rocks (González-Ire-
dant associations of the banded sequence exposed in this gui, 1996). Recently, Ordóñez-Carmona and Restrepo (in
area. Sample GRM-1 (amphibolite) presents the lowest press) found granulites in the northeastern region of Serra-
Sm and Nd concentrations, and the TDM model ages calcu- nı́a de San Lucas, which allows correlation and association
lated for these rocks are 1.47–1.87 Ga, suggesting that the with other Precambrian high-grade metamorphic rocks in
protoliths of the volcanosedimentary sequence are at least the Chibcha terrain.
1.47 Ga old. Garnet crystals from sample GRM-10 were Restrepo-Pace et al. (1997) report an Ar–Ar hornblende
separated and analyzed, and the resulting garnet whole- age of 911 ± 2 Ma for the El Hı́gado amphibolite (Fig. 2,
rock isochron indicates an age of 971 ± 8 Ma, considered N3) located in the eastern flank of the Central Cordillera
to be the age of granulite facies metamorphism and corre- at latitude 211 0 N. Similarly, the Tierradentro Amphibolite
lated chronologically with the Grenville orogeny. It also (Fig. 2, N2), at latitude 5N, is dated at 1360 ± 270 Ma by
agrees within error with the K/Ar hornblende age of K–Ar on hornblende (Vesga and Barrero, 1978), though
940 ± 30 Ma reported by Tschanz et al. (1974). large error casts doubt on the exact age.
378 O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382
3.3.5. Central Cordillera west of the Otú fault formations, the Quetame Group, and La Cristalina metase-
Although no Precambrian radiometric ages have been diments. The main plutonic unit is the Santander Plutonic
found west of the Otú fault (i.e., in the Tahamı́ terrane), Group, which presents K–Ar ages of 457–413 Ma, whereas
the latest maps by Ingeominas show two areas where gran- La Cristalina, Amoyá, and El Hı́gado formations represent
ulitic rocks are exposed: the Puquı́ Complex and El Retiro the sedimentary record for the Early Paleozoic.
Group, indicated as probably Proterozoic (González-Ire-
gui, 1996, 2001). Recent radiometric dates do not support 4.1. Santander Plutonic Group
this assumption (Ordóñez-Carmona et al., 2001; Ord-
óñez-Carmona and Pimentel, 2002) but indicate ages of The only dated magmatic unit of Early Paleozoic age in
306 ± 11 Ma (Puquı́ Complex, Rb–Sr isochron) and the Colombian Andes is found in the Santander Massif of
226 ± 17 Ma (Retiro Group, garnet whole-rock Sm–Nd the Eastern Cordillera (Fig. 2). This unit comprises both
isochron). granitic and gabbroic rocks that intrude the metamorphic
A Proterozoic age for the Cajamarca Group, the main basement, consisting of the Bucaramanga gneiss and Sil-
metamorphic unit in the Central Cordillera, has been gará Formation.
proposed by Gómez and Núñez (2003), on the basis of In the massif, the metamorphic basement and intru-
the presence of clasts of metamorphic rocks that seem sions are covered by Devonian and Carboniferous sedi-
to be derived from this group and are found in the Santa ments, thus indicating a pre-Devonian age for the
Teresa metasediments, dated paleontologically as Ordovi- basement rocks. This age relationship is confirmed by
cian. This unit is located along the Pericos fault, consid- K–Ar data that yield ages for the intrusions in the range
ered the southern extension of the Otú fault, between the of 456 ± 23 Ma (whole-rock) to 413 ± 30 Ma (horn-
Cajamarca Group to the west and the Tierradentro blende) (Goldsmith et al., 1971; Boinet et al., 1985). How-
Amphibolites to the east. As discussed previously, the ever, some igneous rocks considered related to the Early
Otú-Pericos fault has been considered the limit between Paleozoic event yield Mesozoic K–Ar and U–Pb ages
two different terranes. Thus, an allocthtonous origin for (Goldsmith et al., 1971; Boinet et al., 1985; Dörr et al.,
the Santa Teresa metasediments cannot be discarded, 1995), which suggests Mesozoic intrusions are present in
and their original position with respect to both the Caja- the area or an important younger tectonothermal event
marca Group and the Tierradentro Amphibolites remains has somehow reset the isotopic systems, yielding Mesozoic
uncertain. ages.
Four samples of the Ocaña Batholith (Fig. 2, N5), com-
4. Early Paleozoic basement posed of medium- to coarse-grained pink granites, with
quartz, k-feldspar, plagioclase, and biotite, were collected
Although no radiometric ages in this interval are cur- for the analyses. In the study area, the batholith intrudes
rently available for the rock units west of the Otú-Pericos the metamorphic rocks of the Bucaramanga gneiss. A N–
fault, La Miel orthogneiss, dated by a Rb–Sr isochron at S–elongated diorite body that intrudes the Bucaramanga
388 ± 12 Ma, and the Samaná orthogneiss, dated by the gneiss in this region also is known as the Sanin Villa dio-
same method at 346 ± 26 Ma (Restrepo et al., 1991), con- rite. A sample was collected in the Sanin Villa sector of
tain xenoliths of the country rocks composed of low- to the Aguachica–Ocaña road. It is composed of a medium-
medium-grade metamorphic rocks. Therefore, a metamor- to fine-grained diorite with hornblende, plagioclase, and
phic event older than 388 Ma is indicated. Restrepo et al. some K-feldspar and quartz.
(1991) and Toussaint (1993) suggest that one of the meta- Sr and Nd isotopic analyses were carried out on these
morphic events that formed the basement of the northern five samples (Table 1). Sm and Nd concentrations, as well
part of the Central Cordillera is associated with a ‘‘Cale- as the isotopic ratios, are quite uniform in the five samples
donian orogeny,’’ but geochronological confirmation is analyzed. eNd(T) values were calculated for a tentative
still lacking. With respect to the protholith, a Late Prote- intrusion age of 413 Ma. The Rb/Sr data are linear
rozoic–Early Paleozoic age is inferred for at least part of (MSWD of 1.04), but the initial Sr87/Sr86 ratio of 0.7007
the metamorphic sequence. In marbles from the eastern for the isochron makes the obtained age of 268 ± 26 Ma
and western flanks of the Central Cordillera, an Ediaca- meaningless. Also, the Ocaña Batholith is covered by the
ran age has been obtained by C-isotope stratigraphy for Middle Devonian Las Mercedes Formation (Bayer et al.,
the deposition of the limestone that formed marbles (Silva 1973). The TDM ages are as old as 1.30 Ga for the diorite
et al., 2004). Also, locally in the eastern flank of the Cen- and between 1.21 and 1.28 Ga for the batholith, which sug-
tral Cordillera, fossils in low-grade metasediments indi- gests the magma crustal contaminants are at least Meso-
cate Lower Ordovician deposition (González-Iregui, proterozoic in age. In the case of the Ocaña Batholith,
2001). the uniform model age values indicate magma homogenei-
In the eastern block (Chibcha terrane), important igne- ty and perhaps contaminant homogeneity as well.
ous, metamorphic, and sedimentary events took place dur- The eNd(413Ma) values for these rocks are negative (2.23
ing the Early Paleozoic. Metamorphic rocks generally to 4.38), indicating an important crustal component in
considered to be of this age include the Perijá and Silgará the parental magma.
O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382 379
4.2. Silgará Formation no absolute ages are available. Undeformed sediments with
Middle Devonian (390 Ma) fossils cover this sequence,
Stratigraphically the Silgará Formation rests on top of indicating that the metamorphism is pre-Devonian. Thus,
the Bucaramanga Gneiss. However, the nature of the con- the rocks may be either Lower Paleozoic or represent the
tact between them remains unclear, so an unconformity northern continuity of the Precambrian metamorphic rocks
between the two units cannot be ruled out. It comprises of the Santander Massif, metamorphosed at a lower grade.
slates, phyllites, schists, metasandstones, marbles, and
ortoamphibolites (Ward et al., 1973; Shäfer et al., 1998). 4.4. Quetame Group
The metamorphic conditions vary from greenschist to
low amphibolite facies, but some local upper amphibolite The Quetame Massif (Fig. 2) comprises a sequence of
facies associations have been described (Shäfer et al., low-grade metamorphic rocks that attain the biotite zone.
1998). These rocks show fine-banded structures and abun- No absolute ages are available, but stratigraphic relation-
dant phyllites and schists compared with the Bucaramanga ships show that they are pre-Devonian, because they are
gneiss rocks. Where contact is covered, the thickness of the covered by the undeformed fossiliferous sediments of the
banding and rock association is useful to distinguish Lutitas (shales) de Portachuelo Formation of lower Devo-
between the two rock units. In other cases, the contact nian age and the Areniscas (sandstones) de Gutierrez For-
often is defined by the biotite–sillimanite isograd (Ward mation of Middle to Upper Devonian age (Renzoni, 1962,
et al., 1973; Restrepo-Pace et al., 1997), though this differ- 1968; Stibane, 1969).
entiation method seems to imply a common metamorphism These rocks also contain palynomorphs of Ludlovian
for both units. age (Gröser and Prossl, 1991) and are the only rocks with
For the Silgará Formation, a pre-Devonian age is cer- Silurian fossil material in Colombia. Therefore, the meta-
tain, because the fossiliferous La Floresta Formation, of morphic event that affected the Quetame Group is
Middle Devonian age, rests unconformably on it. In addi- post-Ludlovian and pre-Middle Devonian, chronologically
tion, dykes and granitoids intrude the metamorphic rocks correlated with the Caledonian orogeny (425–390 Ma).
of the Santander Massif, and some K–Ar ages for these
bodies range between 457 and 413 Ma, as previously dis- 4.5. La Cristalina metasediments
cussed. According to these dates, the ages of metamor-
phism of the Bucaramanga gneiss and Silgará Formation Along the eastern flank of the Cordillera Central, in the
are older than 460 Ma. With respect to the protholith, C- Puerto Berrı́o area, a sequence of low-grade metamorphic
isotope stratigraphy obtained from some marbles of the rocks is exposed (Feininger et al., 1972), covering the base-
Silgará Formation indicates an Ediacaran–Early Cambrian ment rocks represented by El Vapor mylonitic gneisses
deposition of the original limestone (Silva et al., 2005); (Fig. 2). These rocks, known as La Cristalina metasedi-
therefore, a common age for metamorphism of the Bucara- ments, include preserved fossil fauna that corresponds to
manga gneiss and Silgará Formation is not possible, con- Lower Ordovician graptolites (Harrison, 1930; Botero-
trary to the point of view of Ward et al. (1973) and Arango, 1940). Consequently, the age of metamorphism
Shäfer et al. (1998). These authors propose that the age is considered post-Lower Ordovician, though due to a lack
of metamorphism is the same for both units, but the gneiss of geochronological data, regional correlations remain
simply represents the lower, more strongly metamorphosed uncertain.
portion of a single volcanosedimentary sequence, whereas
the Silgará Formation represents the upper, less metamor- 4.6. El Hı́gado and Amoyá formations
phosed part.
In contrast, Toussaint (1993) considers the possibility of South of La Cristalina rocks and in faulted contact with
an unconformity between the Bucaramanga gneiss and the El Hı́gado Amphibolites (Fig. 2, N3), a sequence of shales,
Silgará Formation, as well as a difference in the metamor- sandstones, and limestone corresponds to El Hı́gado For-
phic grade, which enables the separation between the two mation (Mojica et al., 1987). The sedimentary structures
units, with the gneiss Precambrian in age and the Silgará and substantial fossil fauna are preserved in this unmeta-
Formation Early Paleozoic. Presently, the Early Paleozoic morphosed sequence, indicating Middle Ordovician
age for the Silgará Formation is widely accepted by Colom- sedimentation.
bian geologists, as reaffirmed recently by Rı́os et al. (2003). North of the type section of El Hı́gado Formation,
another set of sedimentary rocks is known and may be cor-
4.3. Perijá Formation related with it. These rocks were affected by low-grade
metamorphism and constitute the Amoyá Formation
According to Forero (1970), this formation is composed (Núñez et al., 1982).
of a sequence of phyllites and metasandstones in which Considering that these formations, together with La
some sedimentary structures are preserved. These rocks Cristalina metasediments, are located in the eastern flank
represent the basement of the Serranı́a de Perijá, one of of the Central Cordillera and contain Middle Ordovician
the branches of the Eastern Cordillera (Fig. 2) for which fossils, they might be interpreted as a sedimentary belt that
380 O. Ordóñez-Carmona et al. / Journal of South American Earth Sciences 21 (2006) 372–382
covers the Grenvillian basement of the eastern flank of the than that of the Autochtonous Block, at least until the Ear-
Central Cordillera. Subsequent to the sedimentation, part ly Paleozoic. The Chibcha terrane probably was located
of this belt was affected by a low-grade metamorphic event somewhere within the Silurian–Devonian collision zone
that is more evident in the north (La Cristalina metasedi- but not connected to the Autochtonous Block in its present
ments) and not detected in southern rocks (El Hı́gado For- position, being displaced, possibly by faults (Paleo-Guaicá-
mation). This metamorphic event is post-Middle ramo fault), during the Late Paleozoic to its present loca-
Ordovician. tion. Thus, the eastern part of the Colombian Andes
(‘‘Oriente Andino’’) was completely amalgamated to the
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